Get on Top of the Psychology of Return to the Office

We Are Going Back...

The shift to remote work in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the workplace psychology of employees, and as organizations start returning to the office, it is important to understand the potential psychological effects of this transition.

One area of concern is the impact on employee stress levels and well-being. The transition back to the office may be stressful for employees who have become accustomed to the flexibility and convenience of working from home. Additionally, employees may be concerned about their safety and the safety of their colleagues, particularly if the organization has not put measures in place to protect against the spread of COVID-19.

Another issue to consider is the potential for resentment among employees who have different work arrangements. For example, some employees may feel resentment if they are expected to return to the office full-time while others are able to continue working from home or in hybrid mode. This can lead to a sense of unfairness and can have negative effects on morale and team cohesion.

Uncertainty is another factor that may impact the workplace psychology of employees as they transition back to the office. Many employees may be unsure about what the new normal will look like, how their work and home life will be impacted, and how they will be expected to adapt to the new way of working. This uncertainty can lead to anxiety and stress.

Getting On Top Of the Return to the Office

One way that HR professionals can help to mitigate these psychological challenges is by using active surveying and passive listening tools to understand the voice of the employee. Understanding employees regularly and gathering realtime and continuous feedback on their experiences and concerns can help HR professionals identify potential issues and take steps to address them.

The Five Real-World Examples

Here are five real-world examples of how HR professionals can use passive listening and active surveying technology to understand the workplace psychology of employees as they transition back to the office:

1. Assessing Employee Stress Levels: HR professionals can use passive listening solutions like TruPulse to continuously gauge employee morale levels in real-time and identify any areas of concern that may need to be addressed during a transition back to the office.
2. Identifying Potential Resentment: Resentment can be a quiet cancer that grows in the workplace. Passive listening solutions can combine spotting these issues early with understanding the underlying sentiment, emotions and related topics in employee's minds.
3. Understanding Employee Uncertainty: One of the more difficult issues to measure in the workplace is a feeling of uncertainty among employees. Passive listening tools can help HR professionals understand employee concerns and uncertainties about the transition back to the office by using AI-based emotional analysis and topical analysis.
4. Assessing Employee Retention: Engagement surveys and pulse surveys can help HR professionals understand employee satisfaction with regard to the specifics of their return to the office programs. By staying on top of these issues, HR teams can maximize retention even in a time of difficult change.
5. Evaluating Cultural Health: The psychological impact of returning to the office is not only seen directly but will have an overall impact on company culture. Cultural problems with toxicity, inappropriate behavior and harassment can build if not monitored. Passive listening and active surveying is critical in times of change to ensure the positive culture built over the years is not lost.

The transition back to the office post-COVID presents a range of psychological challenges for employees. By using a combination of different passive listening and active surveying tools to understand the voice of the employee, HR professionals can identify potential issues and take steps to address them, helping to ensure a smooth and successful transition back to the office.